Avoid fraud

• Get more than one bid. That will help you decide which offers are too high or too good to be true.
• Check references and phone numbers. Call the Better Business Bureau to see if a contractor has complaints.
• Don't pay up front and don’t make your final payment until the job is finished. In a disaster, contractors from outside your area can’t ask for payment before they start work.
• Avoid contractors who offer to waive your deductible or promise a rebate for it. That’s illegal under state law and your insurance company may ask for proof that you paid it.
• Never sign a contract with blank spaces.
• Report possible price gouging to the Office of the Attorney General.